


Merry Christmas, Doctor

by blake_is_strange



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Christmas, Doctor/Patient, F/F, Fluff, Modern AU, No Overwatch, Pharmercy, birthday/chirstmas gift, cuteness, punny Fareeha
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-20
Updated: 2017-02-21
Packaged: 2018-09-25 22:34:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9849455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blake_is_strange/pseuds/blake_is_strange
Summary: Angela doesn't have anything to do on Christmas day, so her favorite patient invites her over for the day.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

  * For [InTheColdImStanding](https://archiveofourown.org/users/InTheColdImStanding/gifts).



> Ok, so I know it's not Christmas anymore, but this was originally a Christmas present for @InTheColdImStanding because that girl loves her some Pharmercy lol. I'm posting the first two chapters today and then the last one tomorrow on her birthday. So, happy birthday dude!! I really hope you like this fic and I'm so sorry that it took me so long to finish lol. Thank you for being such an awesome friend and putting up with all my dumbass jokes. You're seriously the bomb and I wish I could write Pharmercy as amazingly as you do because they're cute as hell bro lol. Burd mums forever!!

Angela’s POV

 

“Doctor Ziegler, your first appointment is here,” a nurse said from just outside my office. I set down the file I had been aimlessly staring at while I waited for a patient to show. Of course, I already knew who it was coming in so early in the day. The chief always came in first, once every few months for regular check ups. I wasn’t sure if they were required by her commander or if she just came in for the hell of it. 

 

“Tell her I’ll be right out,” I replied, getting to my feet and straightening my white lab coat before walking out into the hall and towards the examination room. The hall was decorated with all sorts of Christmassy stuff. Snowmen hung happily from the ceiling and someone had taken the time to tape Santas and snowflakes to the walls. Not to mention the Christmas music playing along with a video about how to stay healthy during flu season coming on over the loudspeakers. I opened the door to see Chief Amari sitting on the exam table, dressed much more casually than usual. Her usual military uniform had been traded for blue jeans and a t-shirt that said “Get Sleighed” with elf ears and a green hat around the letters. I smiled at her, trying to keep myself professional around the woman I had come to consider a friend of mine over the past year. Sure, maybe that friendship was built on short conversations over training injuries and scars from war time, but I couldn’t help smiling at the way she sat up a little straighter when I walked in.

 

“Good morning, Fareeha,” I greeted her, closing the exam room door behind me as I went over to the computer next to the exam table. 

 

“Good morning, Doctor Ziegler,” she replied, flashing me that smile that always seemed to light up the room and make me feel like she and I were the last two people in the world. I smiled to myself as I typed her information into the computer. 

 

“Please, call me Angela,” I reminded her, scrolling through the long list of her visits to the clinic. Years worth of checkups, surgeries on bullet wounds and appointments to fix broken bones and stitch up cuts, until I found the appointment she’d made for today. “So, you’re just here for a checkup today?” I asked her, looking over to see her smiling at me. 

 

“Yep, gotta be sure everything’s still in working order,” she replied. I rolled my eyes despite myself, walking over to her and taking my stethoscope from around my neck, putting the earbuds into my ears before motioning for Fareeha to lift off her shirt.

 

“You know the drill,” I said, more to myself than her really. Every time she followed the drill, I had the pleasure of seeing the toned body she hid beneath her usual military required uniform. She was dressed much more casually today since it was the holidays, though. She was probably on leave. Lifting her shirt, Fareeha watched me carefully as I pressed the stethoscope to her chest, listening as she took deep breaths in and out before moving to her back. I let out a hum, taking out a machine that would measure her heart rate.

 

“That doesn’t sound like a good thing,” Fareeha said, watched as I strapped an inflatable band around her arm and pressed a button that inflated it. 

 

“Your heartbeat just seemed a little erratic, that’s all,” I replied, watching the numbers on the machine rise and fall for a moment before settling on a number that was farther above her usual average heart rate. “Have you been experiencing unusually large amounts of stress recently?” I asked as I took the band off of her bicep. I could’ve sworn she was flexing, but I shooed the thought to the back of my mind. No time to fantasize about a patient, even if she was the tall, dark and handsome type. I nearly laughed at my own thought, trying to regain my focus. Fareeha was hardly tall, dark and handsome. Well, she was, but not in the typical broody way. 

 

“My mother and her boyfriend are staying at my house for the holidays,” she replied, but she was still grinning as she spoke. “But other than that, nothing crazy has happened.”

 

“Did you experience any sort of nervousness or anxiety in the past hour?” I asked, wanting to get to the bottom of the irregularity at once. With Fareeha’s track record, it was hard to believe that she’d develop any sort of heart-related ailment besides high blood pressure. There was a pause, making me look over at the woman sitting on my examination table. “Fareeha?” She started when I said her name and my brows furrowed at the reaction. She did seem a little jumpier than usual. 

 

“Sorry,” she said with a nervous chuckle. “It’s nothing, probably road rage or something. Some jerk cut me off on the freeway earlier. Nothing to worry about.” Despite my suspicion, I decided not to press the issue, turning back to my computer to type in the results and note the rise in tension she seemed to be experiencing. 

 

“We’ll have to keep an eye on that,” I told her, turning back to her. “Alright, off with the shirt.” Fareeha’s eyes widened and her cheeks went a deep shade of red. I laughed softly, taking a step towards her. “To check on the stitches you got when you fell through that window,” I reminded her. She laughed softly, nodding.

 

“Right, that,” she said, pulling her shirt up over her head and setting it beside her. “I almost forgot they were there.”

 

“I hope you haven’t forgotten to clean them,” I commented as she turned around for me to see the fourteen inch long stitched up gash across her back.

 

“Oh, no, I remembered,” she said hastily, tensing up a little as I pressed gently next to the stitches to check the blood flow. The cut was healing quickly, but I shouldn’t have been surprised. Fareeha always healed remarkably quickly. 

 

“They should be ready to come out next week,” I said almost absentmindedly as my eyes wandered from the injury, following the other scars and lines of hard muscles beneath her dark skin. It took much more effort than it should have not to run my hands over her shoulders and down her spine, working the tension out of her muscles with my fingers and leave hot trails of kisses down her spine. 

 

“Should I make an appointment then?” Fareeha asked, pulling me back to earth. I cleared my throat, walking back around the examination table so that she could see me.

 

“Yes, that way we can record your heart rate again as well,” I said, adding the information to her file on my computer. “So, what do you have planned for the holidays?” I asked, trying to get the not so PG images from my mind before they made it even harder to stay professional. 

 

“Well, my mother said that we have to try to have a semi-normal Christmas this year with her new boyfriend, so we’ll probably just be doing dinner and presents and stuff on Christmas day,” she replied, the back of her feet knocking against the side of the examination table. I could feel her eyes on me as I clicked on different things on the screen. I scheduled her next appointment and looked over her vaccination list, even though I knew she was already up to date on all of them. “What about you?” I paused, looking down at the keyboard as I gave a shrug.

 

“I don’t have any family here, so I’ll probably be volunteering at a shelter,” I said simply. I could sense Fareeha’s frown before I looked up to see it and it made my insides melt immediately. Was it normal for someone to look so concerned about a person that shouldn’t have been more than an acquaintance?

 

“You’re not going to go visit any of your family?” She asked. She seemed to immediately regret the question when I looked away, trying to smile.

 

“I don’t have much of a family to visit,” I said as nonchalantly as I could. She was still frowning when I looked up at her again, but she also still wasn’t wearing a shirt, the only thing keeping her decent the black sports bra she was wearing. 

 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring back an-” I waved my hand dismissively, smiling as best I could and picking up her t-shirt from where it sat next to her, holding it out to her. 

 

“Don’t apologize,” I told her, putting on my best happy Doctor Angela smile. “I don’t mind spending Christmas away from home, anyway. I haven’t had a ‘normal’ Christmas since I was very young.” Fareeha laughed softly at that, pulling her shirt on over her head.

 

“I can relate to you on that one,” she replied, smiling at me as I could practically see the memories passing behind her eyes. “Growing up on a military base definitely isn’t conducive to a normal family Christmas.” I couldn’t help giggling at the idea of a much younger Fareeha eating Christmas dinner with a bunch of soldiers, listening to war stories and getting presents from her mother’s friends. 

 

“I can only imagine what that must have been like,” I said, barely realizing how close I was standing to her, our faces surprisingly close when I looked up into her eyes. We both just sort of sat there for a long, silent moment, staring at each other as time slowed to a crawl around us. It was only when I realized that I had started leaning that I snapped out of my stupor, clearing my throat and taking a step back, my cheeks burning slightly. “Well, it looks like we’re all done here,” I said, walking back to my computer and sending myself the file. “I set up a slot for you next week on Thursday around three.” Fareeha nodded and got to her feet, smiling sheepishly at me.

 

“Thank you, Doc- Angela,” she said, turning to the door and opening it. “Have a good day, happy holidays.” 

 

“Happy holidays,” I replied, watching her throw me another smile before walking out into the hall. I heaved a sigh, falling into one of the chairs across from the examination table, running my fingers through my bangs as I tried to slow my heart from racing to somewhat regular. Unfortunately, I didn’t have much time because someone saying my name from the door made me practically jump out of my skin. When I looked up, I saw Fareeha standing in the doorway, looking nervous with her hands behind her back, a slight blush on her cheeks.

 

“You should join my family and me for Christmas,” she said quickly, almost making it sound more like a command than a suggestion. I looked up at her, confused by her words. She seemed to notice because she looked away, she shoulders falling a little. “I just thought that it might be nice. I mean, I know it’s probably weird and everything, and you can definitely say no, but just know that the invitation is there if you wish to accept it.” I opened my mouth to speak, but it took a moment for my mind to string words together for me to use.

“Fareeha, that’s really sweet, but I would hate to intrude on your family’s holiday,” I replied, even though a part of me really wanted to say yes. Even if it was just to see what this woman was like outside of the clinic, just to see how many horrible puns she could really make. To see if she really was the person I had made her up to be in my mind. Not to mention that the idea of spending a holiday with her was oddly soothing to me. 

 

“I’m sure my mother would be more than happy if I brought a pretty doctor home for the holidays,” she joked, her blush growing darker as she rubbed the back of her neck nervously. “I bet she’d even show you the album of baby pictures she brought from home to show Reinhardt if you showed up.” I couldn’t help laughing softly, the image of Fareeha as a child seeming almost unfathomable. 

 

“How could I possibly pass up seeing baby pictures of my best patient?” I teased, seeing her eyes brighten a little as she made eye contact with me again.

 

“So you’ll come?” She asked, smiling hopefully. I worried my lip, knowing I should say no. But the idea of taking that childlike light in her eyes made it hard to refuse. 

 

“I’ll think about it,” I replied. “I’ll call you when I decide.” She smiled a bit wider, the sight making my stomach flutter.

 

“I’ll be waiting for your call,” she said, giving me a nod before leaving and walking down the hall again. I sighed, leaning back in the chair I’d been sitting in, barely managing to suppress the stupid grin that played along my lips. Getting to my feet, I walked back to my office, seriously considering just calling Fareeha right then and there. The only thing that stopped me was the fact that I had more work to do, not to mention the fact that it was probably very strange to call someone just after seeing them. It felt like a very teenage crush sort of thing to do. 

  
So I went back to work, images of Christmas with Fareeha and her family along with the memory of Fareeha’s smile making me feel warm and fuzzy for the rest of the day.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ana finds out that Fareeha invited Angela over for Christmas and the interrogation begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two because I finished it already lol. @InTheColdImStanding hasn't read this chapter yet, I'm really excited to hear what you think, bro!

Fareeha’s POV

 

My morning routine was pretty simple when it wasn’t interrupted by my mom or the urge to sleep in. A protein bar and an hour of cardio workouts and calisthenics followed by a shower, a healthy breakfast and then whatever I had to do that day. Unfortunately, having gotten all my Christmas shopping done early and all the presents already being wrapped and put under the tree, I had little else to occupy my time. Well, besides showing my mom around town and helping her shop and spending quality family time together with her and Rein. 

 

I had already finished my workout and was getting out of the shower when there was a knock on the bathroom door. I wrapped a towel around myself, knowing that mom wouldn’t give me time to dress before she barged in to tell me whatever it was she wanted to say. I opened the door, seeing her standing there with my cellphone in her hand, a big grin on her face that made me suspicious. 

 

“Yeah?” I said hesitantly, wondering what had made mom suddenly look so smug. She had her hand over the receiver so that whoever was on the line couldn’t hear her, but that didn’t make what she said any less embarrassing. 

 

“There’s a woman on the phone for you,” she said, holding out the phone. “Says she’s a doctor who wanted to see if your offer to come to Christmas was still on the table.” I felt my cheeks heat up and my shoulders tense as I snatched the phone. Instead of giving mom the satisfaction of answering her with stuttering and blushing like a damn school girl, I put the phone to my ear and made my way to my room, closing the door behind me before putting the phone to my ear.

 

“Hello, this is Fareeha,” I said into the phone. Doctor Ziegler’s bright voice greeted me in response, only making my heart race more. 

 

“Hi, Fareeha, this is Angela,” she said, cheery as usual. “I was calling to see if you still wanted me to come over for Christmas.” I grinned, glad that my door was closed so my mom couldn’t see me smiling like a total dork. 

 

“Of course,” I replied, unwrapping the towel from around myself to start drying off. “Do you want me to pick you up? I can drop by your place around noon so you can stay for presents and dinner.” 

 

“That sounds great,” she said and I could hear the smile in her voice. “Do you need to take down my address?” 

 

“Oh, yeah, that might be helpful,” I joked, scrambling to grab a notepad and pen. I heard Angela chuckle, the sound making me blush a little more as I clicked the pen. “Alright, I’m ready.” 

 

She told me her address and I told her that I’d be over to pick her up on Christmas day around noon and then we hung up. I put the phone down on my bedside table, taking a deep breath to calm the excitement boiling in my gut. I was being silly. Angela was my friend and a professional. Plus, she probably didn’t even like women, so why was I so excited to see her? I got dressed, towel drying my hair before walking back out into the house with my phone in my hand. I set it on the kitchen counter where I’d left it before. 

 

“So, what’s her name?” Mom asked, making me jump before I whirled around to glare at her.

 

“Her name’s Angela Ziegler, she’s my… Doctor,” I said, fighting off a cringe at how completely awkward that sounded. 

 

“You invited your doctor to our family Christmas?” She asked, raising her eyebrow. I sighed, trying to remember why I’d decided to let my mother come over for a week. 

 

“She’s not just my doctor,” I replied. I mean, she was. But she was also my friend, right? And the way she smiled at me wasn’t really the way a doctor smiled at their patient, right? And I was pretty sure I hadn’t imaged those stares I’d get from her when I’d take off my shirt. 

 

“Is she your girlfriend?” Mom asked, pulling me from my memories of the blush that dusted Angela’s cheeks when I first caught her staring. 

 

“What? No!” I insisted a little too loudly. “She’s just a friend. She doesn’t have any family here so I offered to have her come over. Is that so bad?”

 

“Not bad, just oddly reminiscent of a few crushes you’ve had on your  _ friends _ ,” she replied, making the tips of my ears burn as I clenched my fists. 

 

“What’s this about a crush?” Rein said, walking out from the guest room.

 

“Fareeha has a crush on the doctor she invited over for our family Christmas,” mom explained. 

 

“Can we please stop talking about this?” I pleaded, going to the sink and starting on some dishes to hopefully show that I was done with the conversation. Unfortunately, that kind of thing didn’t work when it came to those two. Mom walked up beside me and grabbed a towel, drying the dishes as I set them on the countertop. 

 

“So, what’s she like?” she asked, picking up the mug I’d just rinsed. I hesitated, unsure if the sudden swelling in my chest and the rush of answers filling my head were normal. Not to mention the fact that it was rare for my mother and me to have moments like this. There had always been an impending mission or an argument hanging over our heads. Now, even if things were a little tense between us, we were in a time of peace. Within our family as well as between our home and its enemies. As pleasant as that should be, it was hard not to feel nervous. Usually, things mom and I talked about weren’t this light and didn’t make me giddy as a teenage girl who’d just walked her crush to their next class. 

 

“She’s really smart,” I replied finally, rinsing a plate. 

 

“She must be, she is a doctor,” mom retorted, taking the plate when I handed it to her. “Is that what you like her for? Her brain?  _ Or is there something about her that’s… a little more fun to look at? _ ” She said the last part in Arabic, probably so Rein wouldn’t be able to listen in. Regardless, the question made my cheeks heat up as I tried not to scrub the cup in my hand into dust. 

 

“She’s not bad looking if that’s what you’re getting at,” I replied, trying to ignore the internal rant I could feel myself wanting to go on about her hair and her eyes and the way she smiled. Even the way the middle of her forehead wrinkled when she was concentrating on my breathing through a stethoscope was beautiful. 

 

“What does she look like?” Rein asked from where he was sitting on a stool at the opposite side of the island. 

 

“Why are you both so curious?” I countered, wishing that whatever they were up to would just end. “I’m an adult now, I don’t need you two interrogating me about the women I may or may not be inviting over.”

 

“Especially when they’re pretty doctors with big ‘brains,’” mom replied, grinning down at the cup she was drying. I heard Rein barely hold in his booming laughter as she started to chuckle. I groaned, turning off the tap to start putting dishes away. 

 

“Can we just drop it for now?” I pleaded, looking at my mom. She sighed, putting her hands on her hips. 

 

“Fine,” she conceded. “But I’m bringing out the photo albums after dinner when she’s here.” My eyes widened, my ears starting to burn at the image of Angela and my mother looking through photo albums full of pictures of me as a small child. Most of them were probably of me at a time when I didn’t appreciate wearing clothes as much as I had grown to. 

 

“No, mother, please don’t,” I begged, nearly dropping a plate onto the floor. Mom just laughed, Rein joining in as he walked over and started putting dishes away so I wouldn’t risk dropping any of them.

 

“I’m teasing,  _ habibti _ ,” she replied with a smile, patting my cheek before taking the plate I was holding and putting it away. “Now, go and finish getting ready so we can go to the store. We have a list of things I still need to make Christmas dinner. Go on, stop staring at me like that and brush your hair, it’s a mess.” I sighed, leaving the kitchen to finish getting myself ready. 

 

As my mom and I made our way through the supermarket near my home, I started to wonder if inviting Angela over was really such a good idea. I mean, she was my doctor, we barely knew anything about each other. And from what she’d told me, I still had a lot to learn about her. Not that I didn’t want to. I’d been trying to work up the courage to ask her on a date for most of the time I’d known her. I suppose having stared death in the face multiple times in one lifetime never prepared you for the normal types of fears people faced in day to day life. Although, I suppose it was less of a fear and more of an anxiety, one that I hadn’t experienced since I was younger. When I was on deployment, I did my best to focus on the tasks at hand, even when the fighting paused or when they had stopped us from doing drills. I hadn’t given myself much time to think about finding someone or how I would act when I finally tried to talk to them. 

 

“Worrying like that will give you wrinkles,” my mom informed me as she picked up a loaf of bread, only to read the price and then toss it back onto the shelf. “You’ve too many scars to look good with wrinkles.”

 

“You’re one to talk,” I grumbled, relieved when she just chuckled, continuing to look for a cheaper loaf of bread. “I’m buying, you know. You don’t have to look for the cheapest one.” 

 

“Nonsense, child,” she replied, waving me off dismissively. “I’m your mother, it’s my job to provide and that’s what I’ll do.”

 

“ _ 'Ami _ ,” I sighed, grabbing the normal bread that I always bought whenever I went shopping and dropping it into the cart. “Please, you’re my guest. You always told me that I needed to be a good hostess.”

 

“I meant when you have real guests over,” she retorted, picking up the bread and putting it back on the wrong shelf. The one I’d grabbed it from was too high for her to reach, which was part of the reason I’d grabbed it. I’d thought that if she couldn’t reach where to put it, she wouldn’t remove it from the cart. “Family don’t count as real guests,” she continued, grabbing a loaf that was half as cheap as the rest and placed it into the cart. “It always makes everyone act fake. You wouldn’t want me to act fake when I come over, would you?”

 

“If it made you less of a pain in my ass, then maybe,” I teased, grinning as I picked up the loaf and shoved it back onto the shelf. “Plus, that bread is crummy.” My cheeks hurt as I tried to keep in the giggles my own joke had caused to bubble up in my chest. Mom rolled her eyes, scoffing.

 

“Where did you learn to make such awful jokes?” She asked, walking down the aisle without picking out a new loaf. I bit my lip to keep myself from grinning as I picked my favorite and followed her with the cart. 

 

“From you, of course,” I replied.

 

“I refuse to believe such a horrid lie,” she said, feigning outrage.

 

“You’re just jealous because all your old jokes are crusty,” I drawled, holding up the bread so she could see it. I don’t think I’d ever seen her try so hard not to laugh in my life, but I loved it. 

 

“Watch yourself,” she said as we walked to the checkout, everything we’d needed resting in the cart. “I’m not afraid to disown my only daughter.” I pouted, leaning over the handle of the cart. 

 

“But I thought you loved puns,” I whined, getting another eye roll from her. 

 

“You’re much too large to be acting like such a child,” she said simply, starting to unload the cart onto the counter. I helped after another moment of pouting, unable to stop myself from smiling. 

 

This was good, this was how things were supposed to be. I’d half expected things to be awkward and tense the whole time my mom was here to visit, but maybe things would be different now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again everyone! Also, I really hoped you liked this chapter, DJ K Hinds because I fucking loved coming up with these puns lol


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anglea goes to the Amari house for dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the last chapter of this fic that I've been writing for @InTheColdImStanding as a birthday/Christmas gift. I really hope you all liked it and I really hoped you liked it too DJ K Hinds! You're awesome dude and you know I could go on and on about how cool I think you are so I'll just stop here and say happy birthday, bro :) I hope you like the way this fic ends lol

Angela’s POV

 

My apartment was quiet, just like usual, but for once it was oddly unsettling. I had rushed to get myself ready for when Fareeha would come to pick me up, only to have been ready an hour and a half early. So I decided to try and get some extra work done, organize patient files, look over my research again to see if I could find anything new in the reports and tests I’d already scoured a hundred times. When that didn’t work, I ended up cleaning my kitchen and unpacking a box of silverware I’d buried in the back of the closet. 

 

I decided to sit down in my living room and read a book, doing my best to ignore the clock on my living room wall and to just leave my phone in the pocket of the sweater I was wearing. Fareeha had told me not to dress up too much in a text the night before, but I had decided to wear a fitted red dress with tights underneath and black heels. I’d decided to forego any flashy accessories, but couldn’t say no to a pair of earrings at least. The lightweight sweater was more for the pockets than to guard against the cold, I had a larger coat for that. I considered putting on a necklace to draw attention to the plunging neckline of the dress, but decided that might be a little much. I didn’t even know what Fareeha would be wearing, though the idea of her in a nice suit had me smiling softly and wringing my fingers in my lap. Just imagining her broad shoulders and toned biceps pressing against the fabric of her jacket or the way I could see her straightening her tie, grinning at me from under that long, dark hair. 

 

A knock coming from my front door made my jump, clearing my head of the increasingly inappropriate thoughts that had begun popping up. I got to my feet, opening the door to see just the woman I’d been thinking about standing just outside my door. Well, minus the suit. What she was wearing in reality was far more amusing than what I could have ever imagined. The tall, dark, beautiful soldier I’d seen wear mostly her uniform and then a couple punny t-shirts was now standing right in front of me in a pair of blue sweatpants covered in reindeer, the biggest red sweater I’d ever seen, and a pair of plushy reindeer antlers on her head. The smile on her face had gone from sheepish to awestruck in the time that it had taken me to look her over and I couldn’t help putting my hand over my mouth to stop myself from laughing. 

 

“Wow, Angela, you look amazing,” Fareeha said before I could say anything. I felt my cheeks grow warm at her words, making me look down at myself and straighten a stray wrinkle in my dress. 

 

“You like it?” I asked, looking up to smile at her. She smiled back, the kind of smile that some people would call a dorky type of smile, but it suited her. It was warm and affectionate and sweet, bright against the gray day that lay beyond her. 

 

“You look beautiful,” she replied, seeming to realize how she was dressed and looking down at her sweater. She chuckled sheepishly, looking back up at me with embarrassment written plainly on her face. “I uh, feel kinda underdressed, though. I should’ve specified that today was more of a pajama type event.”

 

“Oh, I can go change if you want,” I suggested, but the sudden, if slight, panicked look on Fareeha’s face made me stop before turning to walk back in and change right away. 

 

“No, no, it’s ok,” she said quickly, reaching her hand out to stop me. I bit my bottom lip, trying to keep myself from laughing. She was just so damned cute. “You look gorgeous. I mean, not that you wouldn’t if you wearing pajamas, I just mean that you can wear that if you want. You can always change later. I have some more ugly Christmas sweaters at home if you want to wear one.” I smiled, trying to ignore the butterflies that came alive in my stomach at the thought of wearing one of Fareeha’s sweaters, even if it was an ugly Christmas one. 

 

“Alright, if you insist,” I replied, grabbing my coat off of the coat rack next to my door and walking out into the cold to lock my door. When I’d done that, I turned to see Fareeha looking at the ground, kicking at a piece of ice that had formed on my porch with the toe of her Santa slippers. We walked to her car and she opened the door for me, closing it after I got in and then walking to the driver’s side and hopping in before starting the car. The heater came on when she started the engine, as did White Christmas, except it was a cover by some hip hop artist, not the old timey one I’d first heard as a child. Most of the drive to Fareeha’s home was quiet except for the Christmas music, which I didn’t usually enjoy, but I could hear Fareeha humming along so I couldn’t really complain. 

 

“So, I have to warn you,” she said, turning into one of the nicer neighborhoods in town. All the buildings had Christmas decorations of some sort, lighting up the gray sky as families and friends parked their cars in front of certain apartment buildings, probably going to gatherings of their own. “My mom thinks that you’re my girlfriend, so she’s probably going to interrogate you.” I looked over at her, my brows raised.

 

“She thinks I’m your girlfriend?” I repeated, chastising myself for simply repeating her instead of asking a different question. Maybe  _ why  _ her mother thought I was her girlfriend might be a better question.

 

“Yes, and I couldn’t manage to talk her out of the idea after she tried asking me questions about you,” she replied, her cheeks turning a slight pink. “I know it’s awkward, I’m sorry. I just couldn’t get her to believe me. She’d been fine about the whole thing after I’d talked to you on the phone, but then at dinner, she kept insisting that it was wrong to ‘keep a relationship a secret from your mother.’” She let out a nervous laugh. I smiled, laughing softly and shaking my head.

 

_ Not like I’d be opposed the idea,  _ I thought, feeling my heart start to race at the sudden realization that, girlfriend or not, I would be meeting Fareeha’s family. 

 

“It’s fine,” I replied, shrugging. “It’s not every day a person brings their doctor home for Christmas. I’d assume I was your secret girlfriend too if I was in her shoes.” Fareeha laughed at that, the sound making me smile. Her cheeks had gone a little pink, but whether it was from laughter or embarrassment, I couldn’t be sure. 

 

“If you were my girlfriend, I definitely wouldn’t keep it a secret,” she replied, making me blush as I shifted in my seat, a small smile creeping onto my lips. Fareeha seemed to realize that what she’d said was more suggestive than she meant it to be and started blushing profusely, her shoulders going tense. “I- I mean, I just meant that, you know, you’re really amazing and anyone would be lucky to have you as their girlfriend, that’s all.” I couldn’t help smiling at how adorable Fareeha was when she was acting so flustered, my mind creating images of what it would be like to be Fareeha’s girlfriend. Did the chief even like women? 

 

“Have you ever had time for girlfriends, Chief Amari?” I asked, deciding that it was a simple enough question, plus I was curious. Fareeha chuckled, her cheeks still a light pink color as she seemed to consider the question. 

 

“I’ve had a few,” she admitted, giving a small shrug. “But being a soldier isn’t always conducive to things like that. Though, I would definitely like to find someone who’s willing to stay with me despite my deployments.” There was a pause as I processed Fareeha’s words, a small ache in my chest as the idea that the other woman had been putting that part of her life aside to fight for her country. She shifted uncomfortably in the silence, obviously not sure what to say next. “What about you? Have you dated women before?” She asked it nervously, like it was too personal. 

 

“I prefer to date women, really,” I replied nonchalantly. It was true, women had always interested me more than men, especially when they were tall and funny and looked amazing in a uniform. I worried my bottom lip as I felt my blush worsened, making my ears burn. “Especially when they look good in a uniform.” I added the last part more to see Fareeha’s reaction and I definitely wasn’t disappointed. The other woman had started laughing nervously, running her fingers through her dark hair and making the golden ornaments in them clink together.

 

“I was actually thinking of wearing my uniform tonight, but my mom said I didn’t want to come off as a stiff,” she replied as we came to a stop in the parking lot outside a particularly nice looking apartment building. I didn’t have much time to look it over, because Fareeha was getting out of the car and opening the door for me before I could process much. Plus, imagining her in her uniform had given me pause for a moment. 

 

“You definitely don’t look like a stiff in your uniform,” I told her as I got out, smiling when she offered me her arm. I wrapped my fingers around her bicep with as little shaky hesitation as I could force. I would be lying if I said I hadn’t wanted to really feel what those arms could do. I’d even wondered if she could lift me a few times, but I was sure she could. Fareeha just shrugged, smiling as we made our way into the apartment building, walking towards and elevator. The lobby was so nice and warm, all maroons and reds, but I was more focused on the fact that Fareeha had started walking a little closer to my side as we got into the elevator. The elevator ride was quiet, but only slightly awkward because I was too busy thinking about what the hell I was supposed to say to Fareeha’s family when we finally got to her apartment. Unfortunately, I didn’t have much time to think because the elevators slid open with a ding after a mere moment of upward movement, my heart starting to hammer almost painfully against my ribs. It took the feeling of Fareeha’s arm starting to slip from my grip as she walked forward to snap me from my anxious haze. 

 

“You alright?” The taller woman asked, looking down at me with a concerned look in her eyes. “You look pale. Are you sick? Was it the elevator ride?” I laughed softly, shaking my head.

 

“No, I’m fine,” I replied, putting on the best confident smile I could muster. “Just kind of nervous. I haven’t done anything like this in awhile.” Fareeha smiled, putting her hand on my shoulder and squeezing it reassuringly. 

 

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure my mom doesn’t go too crazy with the questions,” she said, reaching to open the door. When she did, an amazing smell wafted out into the hallway that made my nervousness melt away in moments. When I walked into Fareeha’s home, I was greeted with the sound of old Christmas music and the smell of something amazing cooking in the kitchen. Not to mention the homey atmosphere the whole apartment seemed to be overflowing with. 

 

“Is that you,  _ habibti? _ ” A woman called as she walked around the counter that separated the kitchen from the living room. She was the spitting image of Fareeha except for the fact that the older woman’s hair was much longer and she had a tattoo under her left eye instead of her right. When the woman laid eyes on me, a grin spread across her lips, her single eye lighting up as she took a few steps toward me. “Oh, you must be Angela. You’re just as beautiful as my daughter described you. And you’re dressed so nicely! What’s wrong with you, Fareeha? Why didn’t you tell her this wasn’t such a formal event?”

 

“She did, I just didn’t listen,” I replied before Fareeha could recover from her slight stuttering. I smiled, holding out my hand to the older woman. It’s so nice to meet you, but I’m afraid I don’t know your name. Fareeha only calls you mom when she talks about you.” The older woman’s grin turned to a proud smile at that, taking my hand and shaking it firmly. 

 

“My name is Ana,” she replied before letting go of my hand. “Now come, enough with the pleasantries! This is a family Christmas so consider yourself part of the family. Reinhardt, come meet Fareeha’s friend!” I looked up when I heard footsteps, seeing a giant of a man walk out of the kitchen with an apron on that said “Kiss the Cook” on it. He was probably the largest man I’d ever seen and a part of me wanted to get a hold of his medical records and see if he was really supposed to be so tall. He smiled widely at me, wiping his hands on his apron as he walked over to me.

 

“Hello, I’m Reinhardt, you must be Angela,” he said in a booming voice that was so enthusiastic that it made me smile even more. “It’s so nice to finally meet you. We’ve been so excited to have you here today. We’ve been eagerly awaiting to meet the famous Doctor Angela Zeigler Fareeha told us so much about.” I couldn’t help blushing at the idea that Fareeha had actually been talking about me to her family enough for them to think so highly of me already. 

 

“I’m very glad to meet you as well,” I replied, holding out my hand to shake his. He took in a firm grip, a smirk replacing his smile.

 

“Do you speak German?” He asked me, making my smile widen even further as excitement filled me.

 

“ _ Ja, Sie auch _ ?” I asked, placing both hands on his as he laughed, the sound reverberating through the room. 

 

“ _ Ja! Es ist so gut, hier noch einen deutschen Sprecher zu haben. Diese beiden sprechen nur Englisch und Arabisch, _ ” he replied, pulling me in and wrapping his arm around my shoulders before turning to Ana and Fareeha who both had confused smiles on their faces, especially Fareeha. Though, her smile was less confused and more dazed almost. Part of me couldn’t help thinking that she liked hearing me speak German, but I pushed the thought down, smiling at her when Reinhardt gave me tight squeeze. “I like her, she’s a keeper, Fareeha.”

 

“Isn’t she?” Ana said with a grin, nudging her daughter with a glint of mischief in her eye. “You have great taste, Fareeha. Make sure to scoop her up before someone better comes along to snatch her away.”

 

“‘ _ Ami _ ,” Fareeha groaned in embarrassment, sending a glare at her mother. The sound of Arabic on Fareeha’s tongue made my mouth go dry and it took me a moment to feel as embarrassed as Fareeha seemed. 

 

“Alright, alright, go ahead and get her something else to wear,” Ana said, looking me over. “You look amazing, dear, but you’re putting the rest of us to shame.” I laughed softly at that, looking at the ground as Reinhardt and Ana walked back into the kitchen. Fareeha smiled nervously at me, motioning for me to follow her.

 

“Come on, I have some pajamas you can borrow,” she said, walking down a hall that had a few doorways in it. Fareeha lead me to the one at the very end of the hall which was her bedroom. It was extremely neat, military grade clean and organized. It was sort of plain, really, but I could see the little things like the pictures on her dresser and a poster of an action movie I’d never seen hanging on her wall. “This should be big enough for you. You can change in here or in the bathroom if you want, I’ll be in the living room when you’re done.” She handed me a pair of plain sweatpants and a blue sweater that said “Where My Ho’s At?” with a picture of Santa on the front. It made me laugh as I took the clothes, thanking Fareeha before she walked out. I got changed in Fareeha’s room, leaving my other outfit on her bed before walking out into the living room once I’d finished. Fareeha was holding a small, brightly wrapped package in her hands as she sat on the couch, staring down at it as she turned it over in her hands over and over again. I walked over, sitting down next to her. 

 

“What’s that?” I asked, smiling at her when she looked up at me and hesitantly held the present out to me.

 

“It’s for you,” she said with a sheepish smile. “I thought that I’d get you a little something. Nothing crazy, just something to really make you feel at home and everything.” I felt my smile widen before I felt it fall from my face completely as I realized that I’d forgotten the present I’d bought for Fareeha at home. I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose as I chastised myself for being so excited that I forgot something I’d spent so much time searching for. “What? Did you not want anything? I’m sorry, I didn’t think-”

 

“No, no, I’m really happy you got me something,” I replied hurriedly, meeting those beautiful brown eyes again as concern filled them. “I got you something too, actually, but I forgot it at home. I’m so sorry.” Fareeha chuckled, rolling her eyes as she handed me my gift.

 

“Don’t be silly,” she teased, nudging my arm with her elbow. “You didn’t have to get me anything. You put up with me when I walk in after I get injured, so this is the least I could do.” I stroked the shimmering paper covered box, worrying my bottom lip before looking back up at her. 

 

“You do know that your insurance pays for that, right?” I joked, getting a laugh from the other woman. 

 

“Just open it,” she said excitedly, watching me intently as I started unwrapping the small box. Once all the paper was off, I saw that the box was actually quite flat and plain white. I took the lid off, my heart skipping a beat as a thin golden chain with a small diamond hanging from it glimmered in the light. 

 

“Oh, Fareeha,” I breathed, running the tips of my fingers over the necklace, afraid I might shatter whatever sort of fever dream I’d brought myself into. “It’s beautiful. But you really didn’t have to-”

 

“I know,” Fareeha said with a smile, holding out her hand. “May I?” I nodded, handing her the necklace and turn my back towards her, lifting my hair off of the back of my neck. She helped me put the necklace on, her fingers gentle as she closed the clasp in the back. I turned back around, looking down at the necklace as I held it between my fingers. “Do you like it?” 

 

“It’s beautiful,” I replied, smiling at her as I looked up into her eyes. I hadn’t realized how close we were, our thighs touching as we sat beside each other on the couch. I felt my heart starting to race again as I felt her start to lean closer. I let my eye close, leaning in with her. I hadn’t realized just how much I’d want this until that moment when her and I were just so close and outside of the public eye. I felt safe with Fareeha, like I rarely had with anyone else and I didn’t even understand why in that moment. All I knew was that I could feel her breath against my lips as she hesitated slightly. I was about to close the gap when a voice made me nearly jump out of my skin.

 

“Girls, lunch is ready,” Ana called from the kitchen. Fareeha and I both froze, so close to each other that I was surprised we weren’t touching besides the small amount of warmth radiating between us. Fareeha backed away first, blushing as she stood. 

 

“Come on, Rein made some amazing turkey,” she said somewhat tightly. I nodded, smiling sheepishly as I followed her into the dining room. We all sat down around the table, eating the amazing food Reinhardt and Ana had prepared and I felt bad for not thinking to at least bring a bottle of wine as thanks. I would pay them back somehow, I’d make sure of that. Ana and Reinhardt told war stories, Fareeha interjecting with her own little comments every now and then that made Reinhardt laugh while making Ana roll her eye with a fond smile on her face.

 

I was almost too dazed from the almost kiss Fareeha and I had experienced earlier to listen to half of what they said. I was too busy trying to decide if watching Fareeha’s lips as she spoke gave away the flame of want I could feel smoldering in my stomach and chest. It wasn’t even that I wanted her sexually, even though I did. It was more that I just wanted to be close to her. I hadn’t realized it until that moment, but Fareeha made me feel something few others had managed to make me feel. After my parents had passed away, I had thrown myself into my studies, wanting to become as well educated as possible so that I could help people who had never been given the chance to survive, just like my parents, so I hadn’t exactly had much time for relationships. In fact, I’d avoided them for a long time, deciding that my own goals were more important than whatever another person could give me. But when I looked at Fareeha, I couldn’t help the sad sort of ache in my chest at the idea that she might understand why I stayed up doing research, why I spent endless hours studying and trying to find cures that might never exist by trying to make advances in nanobiology. And not only would she understand why, but she would help me do it. She’d encourage me while also teaching me that I had my limits and that I needed things that other people did. Like sleep and regular meals and someone to wake up next to in the morning. What was worse was that Fareeha made me want those things. The normal things, the things that other people did on a regular basis that I never had time for in the past.

 

By the time we were halfway through the meal, they must’ve realized that I hadn’t said much of anything since we sat down. I’d been having too much fun watching the little family interact. 

 

“So, Angela, you’re a doctor,” Ana said, wiping her mouth with a napkin. I nodded, swallowing the mouthful of mashed potatoes I’d been savoring. “What got you into such a field? I can’t imagine it being cheap to become a doctor, though I’m sure your parents are endlessly proud.” I smiled, shrugging as I set my fork down onto my plate. 

 

“My parents are actually the reason I became a doctor,” I replied, feeling premature guilt at what I was about to reveal about myself. People always got this concerned, sad look on their faces when I told them my parents had passed away from a skirmish that had taken many lives in the town I was born in. “When they passed away, I inherited enough money to put me through medical school. I became an expert in nanobiology and I’m currently taking some time off from working in the ER as a surgeon to advance my research.” There was a pause after I’d finished speaking and I tried to keep up my best confident but humble smile, looking to Ana who was sitting across from me at the table with Reinhardt at her side. I hadn’t had a chance to look over at Fareeha because she was sitting beside me, but I could feel how tense she was even though there was about six inches of distance between us. 

 

“That’s quite the track record,” Ana said with a small chuckle as she continued to eat. “Were you top of your class?” I nodded, smiling a little more easily now as I felt the awkwardness lift slightly. 

 

“I was,” I replied, smirking slightly. “I was also the only woman in my class at the time and my professors were usually very stuffy. My Biology professor actually got fired because he failed me on a test I aced because he thought I was paying someone off to change my grade.” That made everyone laugh thankfully, giving me a chance to eat more of my food. 

 

“Have you ever considered becoming a field medic?” Reinhardt asked, looking quite interested in what I would say next. 

 

“I considered it when I graduated,” I told him. “But I’m a pacifist, so I decided against it. I have a hard time even watching violent movies without feeling anxious.” Reinhardt nodded, smiling understandingly before going back to his food. 

 

“I didn’t know any of that,” Fareeha said, amusement in her voice. “I’ve always been such an open book to you.” I smirked at the teasing, feigning innocence as I shrugged.

“You don’t really have a choice, I have unlimited access to your medical files,” I retorted, taking another bite of turkey as Fareeha chuckled, shaking her head. There was another pause as we continued to eat before Ana spoke again.

“So, Angela, are you seeing anyone?” She asked me, making me blush slightly at the question. 

“Nope,” I replied simply, unsure of what else to say, though I couldn’t help glancing at Fareeha before deciding I should probably add something to the answer. “I haven’t really had the chance recently. I’ve been too busy making sure Fareeha isn’t accidentally pulling her stitches.”

“Hey, I haven’t pulled a stitch in at least two months,” Fareeha protested, though she was smiling as she spoke. 

“And then you fell through a window,” I teased. We all laughed at that and the rest of the meal went well. After we were done eating, we went to the living room to watch movies and talk more. Ana did actually end up showing me photo albums full of pictures of a tiny, chubby-cheeked Fareeha with a big smile on her face. One picture in particular, where Fareeha’s face was covered in blue cake frosting all over her face and a big grin to go along with it. After an hour or so of that, we all were in a bit of a food coma after eating a slice of chocolate cake each. So we all sat down in the living room, watching some old black and white Christmas movie that was long and hard to follow, but funny when I understood the jokes. I don’t quite remember when, but at some point Fareeha and I had snuggled up together, sharing a thick blanket that covered our laps as my eyes started to flutter closed. Fareeha was so warm and gentle as she wrapped her arm around my shoulders and hugged me close to her side. The last thing I remember was my head leaned against Fareeha’s chest, her heartbeat lulling me to sleep as the sound of the movie in the background. 

  
  


“Angela?” A soft voice said softly, nudging my shoulder as the warm sleep I’d fallen into faded. I opened my eyes, seeing that I was laying on top of Fareeha, her own eyes hazy with sleep as I sat up a little. I looked around, seeing that we were still on her couch, the blanket draped over us. The TV was turned off now and Ana and Reinhardt were nowhere to be seen. And then I realized that I was still pressed against Fareeha so close that I could feel her chest moving with each breath. My ears burned along with my cheeks, but I didn’t want to move away.

 

“Sorry,” I mumbled quickly, my mind still foggy from sleep. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you. Literally.” Fareeha chuckled, her hand rubbing up and down my back.

 

“I think we all fell asleep at one point,” she replied, sitting up until she realized that I was now straddling her lap, our chests pressed together now that we were both sitting up. Her cheeks went dark red and I knew that mine probably did the same because my heart started racing. Here we were, so close together and so close to whatever it was between us finally cracking and coming to the surface. “Angela,” she breathed, her hand still resting on the small of my back. 

 

“Y-yes?” I asked softly, unable to pull away even if I’d wanted to. 

 

“Is it ok if I…” she trailed off, her eyes flicking down to my lips before looking back up into my eyes. It took me a moment to realize what she meant, but when I did, my first impulse was to say yes. I nodded, leaning forward to finally close the gap between us, our lips connecting so tenderly that I nearly melted against Fareeha in a moment of relief, excitement and security. Fareeha was so firm and gentle in all the right ways, her hands pulling me close as she held me against her, her lips warm and soft against mine. When she pulled away, I chased her lips for a moment before I caught myself, blushing profusely. 

 

“Sorry,” I said somewhat breathlessly, making Fareeha chuckle. 

 

“Don’t be sorry,” she replied, cupping my cheek with her hand, her palms rough and calloused but gentle against my skin. “I’ve been wanting to do that for awhile.” I laughed softly, nodding in agreement.

 

“Me too,” I replied, leaning slightly into her touch. “Do you maybe want to go on a date sometime?” Fareeha smirked, lifting a brow.

 

“I don’t know,” she replied teasingly. “Do you think you can handle being constantly berated by my mother’s personal questions if we go on more than just one date?” 

 

“She’s not that bad,” I retorted, giggling despite myself. 

 

“Oh, please, she’ll be asking me when you and I are getting married tomorrow morning after how much you impressed them tonight,” she joked, though the idea made my insides flutter. 

 

“I’ve handled worse,” I said as confidently as I was able to when Fareeha was still so firmly pressed against me. She just smiled, gently pulling me into another kiss. I leaned into it, smiling against her lips. 

 

I wouldn’t mind if Fareeha’s mother asked me anything in the world if I kiss Fareeha like this over and over again. It was so relieving and I couldn’t wait to learn more about this woman. I just hoped she felt the same. Though I didn’t have much time to think about that when she started deepening the kiss.

  
That was probably the best Christmas I’d ever had. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everyone so much for reading! Leave me a comment letting me know what you think :) Happy birthday again to @InTheColdImStanding, I really hope you liked this lol. Thanks again everyone and have an awesome day!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed it :) And again, happy birthday to @InTheColdImStanding, you're seriously the best dude lol. You guys should check her out if you haven't read her stuff, she's so good! She also has a couple Bloodborne fics along with an Overwatch/Skyrim crossovers that one of the best things I've ever read, no joke, no exaggeration lol. Anyways, leave me a comment letting my know what you think and I hope you guys all have an awesome day :)


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